


One last summer night

by friendscookiesandcr



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Yasha and Beau have some unresolved feelings to deal with, no plot just emotions, they all just finished college and spend their last evening together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28050168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/friendscookiesandcr/pseuds/friendscookiesandcr
Summary: Yasha couldn’t take her eyes off Beau. She wasn’t this free usually. She had seen Beau, she had seen her a lot and Beau was always guarded, on the lookout for anyone noticing any sign of weakness or a real emotion peaking through. Yasha could not recount the many, many times she wanted to just walk up to her and hug her or give her a kiss. Because Beau was a wonderful person, everyone knew that, except for Beau herself.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha, Fjord & Jester Lavorre
Comments: 2
Kudos: 79





	One last summer night

She was mesmerising. Yasha was pretty sure she wouldn’t agree but Beau was the centre of attention. Her and Jester were the heart and soul of their little group. They were the ones leading the conversations. Yasha couldn’t take her eyes off Beau. She wasn’t this free usually. She had seen Beau, she had seen her a lot and Beau was always guarded, on the lookout for anyone noticing any sign of weakness or a real emotion peaking through. Yasha could not recount the many, many times she wanted to just walk up to her and hug her or give her a kiss. Because Beau was a wonderful person, everyone knew that, except for Beau herself. Today was different, however. It was not the first time it was different. Beau was letting them in, step by step, in a very Beau kind of way. Yasha could tell she was still holding back, maybe she didn't know any better but there was honesty in her actions, an honesty that usually wasn't observable. 

It was the end of the year, summer was approaching. Earlier this day all of them had written their final exam of the semester, and for most of them their studies. This was it. They would not come back next year. There would not be another summer evening hang out session at the beach or movie nights in the winter. Caleb and Veth’s flights were going tomorrow, both of them had exciting new jobs to look forward to. Jester and Fjord would start the sailing trip in just under a week from now and Caduceus who still had another semester left would go back home to visit his family for the summer. And then there were Beau and herself. Yasha thought back of the many evenings they had spent together. The many times she had almost let her guard down, almost kissed Beau. She thought of their hike. She thought of the two of them going skinny dipping in the crystal clear mountain river. She thought of Beau’s smile, of her carefree laughter. She had almost done it then and there. But she didn’t dare too because what if Beau didn’t feel the same? Beau was out of her league, Yasha was well aware. It was a miracle that she even agreed to go on the hike with her. And then she had to think of Jester's disappointed look when retelling the story. Jester had just shaken her head when Yasha tried to explain why she hadn’t kissed Beau right there on the mountain with just the two of them and the rest of the world forgotten. “She likes you.” Yasha could feel her cheeks glow. “She likes you!” Yasha thought back to that evening when Beau asked her about her plans for the summer. “I’ll go wherever you go.” She meant it and Yasha’s heart was still beating faster just thinking about the smile Beau had given her in response. Neither one of them knew what would happen after the summer. Back then they had made loose plans of travelling with Fjord and Jester or maybe renting an RV together and going on a road trip with just the two of them.

Beau was in the middle of a wrestling match with Veth. Jester and Caleb were standing at the side cheering them on. Yasha could feel her chest tighten while she watched her friends - her family - enjoy this last bit of sun of this warm summer evening. She didn’t dare to think about what would happen after tonight. Instead she kept looking at Beau’s smile, at her carefree banter with Veth. All of them were lucky to know her. She let her eyes wander over the rest of her friends. Never did she think she could have something like a family again but over the past years her pain was slowly being replaced by love. Yasha felt a flush of warmth shoot through her body as she felt the ever present pressure of her book pressed against her heart. She was lucky to have known so many wonderful people. 

“It’s weird that all this is about to end, isn’t it?” Yasha hadn’t noticed Fjord walking up to her, she must have been too smitten by her friends enjoying themselves one last time.

“Yes, I cannot imagine what will happen tomorrow when we will drive them to the airport.” Fjord nodded silently. She saw his feelings written all over his face, Yasha was most likely wearing the same. Neither one of them had a home outside of their friends. No families to go back to, no friends to contact, just the Nein. And this was their last evening together. She could feel her throat tighten painfully. Yasha would miss evenings like these. 

“This will not be a goodbye forever, I am sure.” He was reassuring her or maybe himself, Yasha was uncertain. “Plus, you and Beau are going to meet up with Jester and I in less than a month. It will be like no time has passed.”

Yasha had to smile. The thought of the four of them was comforting. 

“I don’t think I ever told you but I am very happy for you.” Yasha gestured towards Jester giggling at the sight of Beau stumbling over a stone and falling into the water. She had to hold back a smile hearing Beau’s swearings directed at Veth. 

Fjord turned red in an instance. Yasha knew that him and Jester were trying to keep their relationship under wraps. She wasn’t exactly sure why but they were failing miserably. 

“I didn’t know you knew. She is great, hmhm. She… I cannot wait to spend the next year with her.” Fjord started fumbling with the button on his right sleeve. Yasha’s eyes wandered back to Beau and Veth. Both of them were wet, head to toe and their cheeks red in excitement. 

Fjord followed her look. “I am also very happy for you two. You fit very well together. And you both seem happy, it’s nice.” 

Yasha’s heart started beating faster, her head got very warm suddenly. “I don’t, I don’t know what you are talking about. Beau and I are, we are friends. We…, I don’t…, nothing has happened.” Yasha wasn’t sure whether Fjord heard her last sentence. She wasn’t sure if she even said it out loud. But he didn’t question. Instead he gave her a sweet sort of smile. He knew what it felt like, she thought. 

Yasha had to think of the letter. It had been Jester’s idea to write it before it was too late and Yasha would regret not saying anything. For weeks Yasha had looked at the short poem her and Jester had composed and every time she felt frustration bubble up in her. She couldn’t write poetry, not in a way that deserved to be written about Beau. So after trying one too many times she just started writing. It wasn’t a poem. It was a letter full of all the little things she had noticed about her. All the things that made her into the most wonderful person Yasha knew. And then, after their last study session before the exam period Yasha had given it to her, three weeks ago to this day. The look she received in response would stay imprinted in her thoughts forever. Beau didn’t know how to react. She wasn’t used to these kind of gestures, she wasn’t used to love or affection being directed towards her. It seemed almost too much for her, almost. And all embarrassment or regret about the corniness of her letter were washed away immediately. Yasha would write hundreds of letters if that would mean Beau would start believing she was worth all the love and affection her friends were caring for her. Yasha wasn’t sure Beau had read the letter by now but two weeks ago Beau had brought up the RV idea once more. It would be nice to give Fjord and Jester some time to themselves. Neither one of them particularly seemed to mind when Beau and Yasha had announced to Fjord and Jester that they would only join them for part of their journey. And so, just a day after Beau had brought up the idea, the two of them started planning their trip. They had found a cheap RV to rent for the summer and had already mapped out their route. Yasha was bubbling with excitement just thinking about an entire summer of just her and Beau and no care in the world. She didn’t know what to expect but Beau was there, the rest didn’t matter.

The evening went by too fast for all of their liking. But all the sudden the sun was set and the air was getting too cold to stay outside. Caleb and Veth both left, they had some last minute packing to do. Caduceus joined shortly after. Jester wiggled her eyebrows suggestively towards Fjord a couple minutes later and the two of them got up in a hurry. Only Beau stayed. Their eyes meet and Yasha could see Beau shivering. She was still wet from earlier. Without thinking about it, Yasha got up from her blanket and walked over to Beau. 

“Is this okay?” Beau nodded and Yasha wrapped the blanket around the two of them, draping her arm loosely over Beau’s shoulder. Beau scotched in closer, pressing her side against Yasha’s larger body. Neither one of them moved, only once in a while Beau’s body shivered slightly. 

“Are you cold? We could go home or somewhere warm at least.” Yasha looked at her friend with concern. She didn’t want Beau to have to spend her last days in the city laying in bed with a cold. 

Beau shook her head. “I don’t think I am ready to go yet.” Instead, she rested her head on Yasha’s shoulder. 

Yasha didn't dare to breath. She didn’t want to make a wrong move that could end this moment too soon. She never wanted to let go of Beau ever again. Her heart ached. She wanted nothing more than to lean down and kiss her. A small remnant of guilt shot through her body. Jester’s words echoed through her mind: “If she makes you happy then that is a wonderful thing.” It was wonderful, she was wonderful. Without letting her anxious side take over Yasha reached out with her free hand and intertwined her fingers with Beau’s. The smaller woman froze for a moment. A moment seemingly too long to bear. Did she cross the wrong boundary standing between them? Yasha’s heart stopped beating. And then Beau tightened the grip around Yasha’s larger hand and a cold finger stroked her warm ones. She closed her eyes and leaned into the movement. The world could stop right here and now. She could feel nothing but weightless happiness steaming through her body. 

“You make me feel safe too.” Yasha’s chest felt like it might explode, like it might burst into a thousand pieces. She had read it. And she felt the same, possibly. Her brain could not catch up. How come the most amazing person Yasha knew wanted to sit here just with her? She really made her feel safe? Beau’s fingers slipped out of her grasp to produce a flower. The pebbles were a little shrivelled at the tips but it looked more beautiful than any other flower Yasha had ever seen. It was completely white with small black stripes in the middle of each pebble. 

“I was planning on doing this differently, I was planning on preparing something amazing for you. But this is the last evening with all of us and I don’t think I can wait any longer.” The look Beau gave her sent shivers through all of Yasha’s body. Yasha carefully took the flower out of Beau’s hand and retrieved her book. Beau knew what the book meant to her and Yasha knew of the gesture behind the flower. Beau understood her like no-one did in a very long time. Yasha carefully put the book back into its original place but only after gently tracing the outlines of the beautiful flower. 

“Thank you Beau. This gesture is more than enough. It is more than I would have ever imagined.” Yasha was sure Beau understood. She was sure Beau knew Yasha wasn’t just talking about the flower. She was talking about the way Beau saw her. She was talking about the time Beau had granted her after finding out about Yasha’s past. About all the careful advances both of them dared to act on. All the unspoken moments of understanding collected by them in the two years of knowing each other. 

Beau’s hand was back in hers. Their fingers started playing with each other. It was Yasha’s turn to shiver. The emotions building up inside her were hidden for too long. She needed to let them out. And so she slowly leaned in, giving Beau the time to change her mind. But Beau didn’t retrieve. Instead her body weight shifter leaning forward, onto Yasha’s. And Yasha closed her eyes, pulling her in, finally closing the gap. Summer could come.


End file.
